Hammer mill hammer with grooves for receiving hard facing material and method of making same

A hammer comprising:

• a rod hole end having a rod hole disposed therein and wherein said rod hole is configured to engage a hammer mill rod so that the hammer can move about an axis extending through the rod hole;
• a grinding end being spaced from said rod hole end of said hammer, the grinding end having a length, a width, and a thickness defined between a first face and a second face with an edge extending from a first face to a second face, the edge configured to have leading edge portion along the length of the grinding end as the hammer moves about the axis, a following edge portion along the length of the grinding end spaced from the leading edge, and a connecting edge connecting the leading edge to the following edge;
• a continuous groove in the edge from the leading edge, along the connecting edge and to the following edge for receiving hard facing material;
• a neck connecting said rod hole end and said grinding end;
• a plane, disposed transverse to the axis, which plane intersects the groove along the length and width of the groove from the leading edge to the following edge, the plane also intersecting the rod hole;
• and
• hard facing disposed in the groove.